The Hanging Tree
by Tiny Author Life xx
Summary: "Are you, are you coming to the tree... Where I told you to you run, so we'd both be free... Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be... If we met, at midnight, up in the Hanging Tree..."
1. P R O L O G U E

**Hello, all! **

**I'm sure you're wondering why I'm posting yet another story when I have three that I barely update as it is... **

**But I think this idea I have in mind is pure genius. Whether or not you think so, well... That's your opinion. **

**Let's get this started, shall we?**

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I DO NOT OWN THE SONG 'THE HANGING TREE'. IT BELONGS TO JENNIFER LAWRENCE AND THE CREATORS OF HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY.**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><span><strong>The Hanging Tree<strong>

**A Warrior Cats FanFiction by Tiny Author Life xx**

* * *

><p><em>Stars littered the night sky, the moon <em>casting its gentle rays down upon the treetops. The forest that lay below was calm and untroubled; a sense of peace had washed over all of the Clans, at least for a little while.

In the deepest part of the Sky Oak, two cats sat admiring the stars; a light brown tom and a brown-and-white speckled she-cat

The pair were sitting side by side, their pelts brushing as they gazed up at the stars from the lowest set of branches that weaved and tangled around them.

"The sky is beautiful," remarked the brown-and-white she-cat. She turned to her companion, her green eyes sparkling in the irridesent light. "Isn't it, Runningpaw?"

The pale brown tom looked back at her, his yellow eyes bright. "I guess it is. But it isn't as beautiful as you are, Treepaw."

Treepaw let out a purr and rested her head on Runningpaw's shoulder, twitching her tail. "I never want to leave this place…" she murmured to no one in particular, "I never want to leave you."

"I know how you feel," Runningpaw meowed. "I'm the same way."

In the same exact moment that Treepaw opened her jaws to speak, a flash of dark gray fur cornered Runningpaw's vision. Turning his head, he saw the dark gray pelt of a cat holding the lighter pelt of Treepaw in their mouth. Blood dripped around the cat's paws, staining them and the grass a crimson color.

"Who are you?" Runningpaw demanded, his tail dipping slightly between his legs.

The cat dropped Treepaw's scruff and smiled cruelly at Runningpaw, its eyes a deep pool of victory. "Why, don't you recognize me, Runningpaw?"

"Stoatpaw," Runningpaw's eyes grew wide at the sight of his best friend. "Why would you do that to Treepaw?"

Stoatpaw let out a meek purr and pawed at Treepaw's body, all the while allowing her gaze to sear Runningpaw's pelt. "Oh, I was just…" she trailed off, her tail flicking wildly behind her as she said, "Helping a friend out…"

"You're a monster," Runningpaw growled, unsheathing his claws.

"That may be," Stoatpaw agreed wholeheartedly, unsheathing her own claws and allowing them to glint in the moonlight. "But I'll make sure I return the favor to you, don't you think?"

"What do you mean by that, Stoatpaw?"

Suddenly, Stoatpaw's body was gone from beside Treepaw's. Runningpaw whirled around, hissing with his ears flat to his head, trying to locate where the dark gray cat could be. A large weight, about half his own, plummeted down on him from above, sucking the air from his lungs and allowing it to dissipate into thin air. Claws grasped his ears and bore down, tearing out chunks of fur and flesh; the pale brown tom let out a cry, flipping around so that Stoatpaw's body was below his. He clawed and swiped at her, fighting her blow for blow, but the she-cat was too quick for him.

Stoatpaw's claws raked down his belly, and Runningpaw cowered away, leaping off of the she-cat. She took this as the time to leap at him instead, knocking him to the ground and tearing at his body.

Stoatpaw's teeth around his tail, tying him and Treepaw to the lowest branch… Her manical laugh as she watched him and his lover, him bleeding to death while she rested in peace up in StarClan... Stoatpaw's mentor, Swiftclaw, being hung up in the same position as they were, the life already faded from his eyes.

And finally, the light fading from his eyes as Stoatpaw's purr rang in his ears:

"Are you coming to the tree? I've strung up a cat and say I've murdered three… Strange things have happened here, no stranger would it be… If you met at midnight up in the Hanging Tree…"

* * *

><p><span><strong>Allegiances: CavernClan<strong>

Leader: **Hollowstar - large tabby tom, green eyes**

Deputy: **Ivyfang - black and gray she-cat, yellow eyes**

Medicine Cat: **Tangleburr - golden tabby tom, amber eyes **_[ apprentice : Talonpaw ]_

Warriors: **Larkwing - gray she-cat, amber eyes **_[ apprentice : Dashpaw ] _

**Fleecefur - fluffy white tom, green eyes**

**Whisperfang - black tom, yellow eyes**

**Russetflower - dark ginger she-cat, amber eyes**

**Blacktail - white tom with a black tail-tip, blue eyes**

**Wildfur - brown tabby tom, green eyes**

**Beetletooth - gray and white she-cat, green eyes **_[ apprentice : Whistlepaw ]_

**Grasswillow - tabby tom, yellow eyes**

**Flamepelt - ginger tabby she-cat, blue eyes **_[ apprentice : Spikepaw ] _

Apprentices:

**Talonpaw - black tom, amber eyes **_[ medicine cat apprentice ] _

**Spikepaw - ginger and black tabby tom **_[ apprentice to Flamepelt ]_

**Dashpaw - brown and gray patched tom **_[ apprentice to Larkwing ]_

**Whistlepaw - dark gray tabby she-cat with flash of white on forehead **_[ apprentice to Beetletooth ]_

Queens:

**Vinestep - brown and black she-cat, mate of Whisperfang  
><strong>_[ kits: **Sharpkit - black tom, Thistlekit - gray and white she-cat, Tumblekit - brown tabby she-cat **]_

Elders:

**Husktail - brown and white tabby tom**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Allegiances: FernClan<strong>

Leader: **Flowers****tar - tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes**

Deputy: **Icemask - gray and white tom, blue eyes**

Medicine Cat: **Firefang - ginger she-cat, yellow eyes**

Warriors: **Pantherleap - black and gray she-cat, blue eyes**

**Falconwing - brown tabby tom, green eyes**

**Littleheart - small brown she-cat, amber eyes**

**Leaf-fire - gray and white she-cat, amber eyes**

**Grayfur - gray tom, blue eyes**

**Fleckface - gray tom with white flecks, yellow eyes**

**Reedpool - black she-cat with brown paws, green eyes**

**Nightfire - black tom, amber eyes**

Queens:

**Poolcloud - gray and black tabby she-cat, mate of Grayfur**

_[ kits: _**Curlkit - brown and white tom, Duckkit - golden brown tabby she-cat, Pondkit - gray tabby tom **_]_**  
><strong>

**Creampelt - cream-furred she-cat, mate of** **F****alconwing**  
><em>[ expecting kits ] <em>

Elders:

**Duskpool - one beautiful brown tabby she-cat, yellow eyes**

**Half-ear - gray tabby tom with half an ear missing**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Allegiances: RoseClan<strong>

Leader: **Quietstar - black and white tom, blue eyes **

Deputy: **Whitefoot - ginger tom with one white paw, yellow eyes**

Medicine Cat: **Spottedtail - tortoiseshell and white she-cat, blue eyes**

Warriors: **Willowfrost - gray tabby she-cat, blue eyes**

**Goldenfire - golden tabby tom, amber eyes**

**Hallow-wing - black she-cat with white paws, green eyes**

**Ivyflower - tortoiseshell she-cat, yellow eyes**

**Shadefrost - black tom, amber eyes**

**Bristlefur - spiked white tom with ginger flecks, golden eyes**

**Brightfur - pale ginger she-cat, blue eyes**

Elders:

**Mist-tail - gray tom, yellow eyes**

**Sharpeye - golden she-cat, blue eyes**

* * *

><p><strong>So, um, yeah. <strong>

**If you didn't realize, the prologue was in the past... This first chapter takes place present day in the Clans. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	2. C H A P T E R O N E : D A S H P A W

**Review Replies ~**

_**The Seventh Sage: Thanks so much, Seventh! :D I'm glad you like this!**_

**_Painted Turquoise and Silver: Thanks so much! :3_**

**_ScipioPB: Thanks! O hope this story continues you to please you!_**

**_EradrinSkyleaf: Hey, buddy! XD Yes, I did change my PenName. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you continue to do so!_**

**_XxFluffyPikaxX: Thanks! _**

**_Lolkat123: Haha, thanks Kali! :)_**

**Thank you for the reviews, guys! It means a lot to know that this idea is interesting! :)**

**Here we go with the first chapter; I hope it isn't too bad. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><span><strong>The Hanging Tree<strong>

**A Warrior Cats FanFiction by Tiny Author Life xx**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WARRIORS OR 'THE HANGING TREE'.**

* * *

><p>Chapter One<p>

_; Dashpaw ;_

* * *

><p><em>There was something beautiful about CavernClan <em>territory late at night. The moon seemed to beam directly down upon the hollowed out space, snuggled deep in the large dip between RoseClan and FernClan. Though the tabby tom could not see it, he knew the other Clans were watching them from above, alongside StarClan, who watched them from the sky while the others watched from the land.

Dashpaw's yellow eyes darted from one corner of the den to the other. Being the only one awake in the entire camp meant that he could do nothing, otherwise it would disturb everyone else and cause them to be angered for the rest of the following day. So he sat, waiting out the night, unable to sleep because of his running thoughts; sometimes he wished he could knock himself out by throwing his head against the hard rock wall behind him. Maybe that way, he could get some decent sleep before dawn came.

Ever since he had been a kit, Dashpaw found it hard to sleep at night. His mother Vinestep once told him that he was an owl, or maybe even a bear; sleeping during the day, hunting and prowling around at night. Dashpaw had blown it off, snorting at his mother and speaking out against her words. But his sister, Whistlepaw, had believed the entire thing; for days the young dark gray she-cat wouldn't come near Dashpaw, or even talk to him, out of fear that she would get eaten or something by him.

Dashpaw, if asked to be completely honest, could tell you straight-faced that he didn't like it when his sister was like that. Whistlepaw, as smart as she was, seemed to lack the overall knowledge of knowing if something was true or a lie. It just hadn't settled in her mind yet, and Dashpaw was certain that it never would be.

One day, when he was a kitten, Vinestep had asked the elder Husktail to come and speak with them. Dashpaw - Dashkit then - had merely shrugged at the idea, whilst Whistlekit was beyond excited; she loved Husktail and his wide assortment of stories from back when Hollowstar, CavernClan's leader, was an apprentice... how CavernClan sided with RoseClan and drove FernClan's tyrannical leader, Irisstar, out of her tyrade... how CavernClan had to find a new home due to the constant flooding the recieved back in the old camp...

It was up until the story of the Hanging Tree that Whistlepaw loved Husktail.

The Hanging Tree was a story once used to scare kits into doing right instead of wrong; it was a myth to most cats, but reality to the elders. The Hanging Tree story was now used as a CavernClan history story, as the three of the cats were from the said Clan. Runningpaw, an apprentice of CavernClan, loved a FernClan she-cat named Treepaw; the pair met often, sneaking out of their camps when all were asleep; one night, Runningpaw's best friend Stoatpaw caught the two and murdered them selflessly, slitting their throats and hanging them up by their tails on one branch of the tree. Stoatpaw had also killed her mentor, Swiftclaw, in her anger; the gray cat then left the Clans and never returned...

The Hanging Tree story, once used to set kits straight, was now the reason why Whistlepaw was the way she was.

His sister had spent so much time not speaking after the retelling that eventually, she forgot how.

Her coral blue eyes, wide and scared as usual, contrasted with the darkness of the den. Though the dark gray she-cat could not speak, her eyes asked the question that she could not express in words:

_Dashpaw?_

Dashpaw immediately went to his sister's side, running his tail down her flank to soothe her. With his mother no longer able to aid him in calming his sister, Dashpaw had to handle it all by himself; and he was doing a pretty decent job, from the looks of things. "I'm here, Whistlepaw," he murmured.

_Are we okay?_

"We're fine, Whistlepaw... The Clan's fine, I'm fine, Mom and Dad are fine... You're fine..."

_Why aren't you sleeping?_

"I don't need too, Whistlepaw... I'm watching over you. I don't need sleep until you go out on patrol."

Whistlepaw snorted, rolling her eyes. _You don't have to do that. _

"I do it because I want too," Dashpaw mewed, swiping his tongue around his jaws. "And because you're my sister and I have to - "

"Dashpaw!"

Larkwing's call sounded in the entrance of the cave. The gray she-cat poked her head inside, her amber eyes glowing in the moonlight. "You're on dawn patrol," she meowed, blinking at her apprentice with all seriousness. Her gaze flitted over to Whistlepaw, and she purred in greeting. "Hello, Whistlepaw."

The dark gray apprentice flicked her tail in greeting, dipping her head and smirking up at Dashpaw.

_Better get going, Dashie... _her eyes said, and Dashpaw rolled his eyes. Placing a lick on top of his sister's head, he padded out of the den to follow his mentor out of camp and up the stones to the forest beyond.

; . ; . ; . ; . ; . ; .

Dashpaw's entire body ached by the time he, Larkwing, Russetflower, and Fleecefur padded into camp. Two thrushes and a mouse heaved down on his jaw, making his head appear to be down in a sullen way instead of victorious. His yellow eyes searched for his sister; her coral blue eyes were the brightest in the entire Clan, so being unable to find those eyes right away scared Dashpaw. If not in camp, where could Whistlepaw be?

Fear finally wormed its way out of his heart as he spotted his sister. Whistlepaw was sitting down in a patch of shade, Vinestep settled beside her; the brown and black patched queen was grooming her daughter's pelt while her three kits tumbled around her. At two moons old, Sharpkit, Thistlekit, and Tumblekit were quite the bunch; Tumblekit was a sweet, sweet she-cat, and Dashpaw found himself leaning towards her more as a kit to role model around. His other siblings weren't up to par, yet both were still caring and knowledgable of their kin.

Setting his prey down on the pile, Dashpaw padded over to his mother, sister, and younger siblings and purred in greeting. Vinestep gave him a lick on the ear, and Sharpkit pounced on his tail; Thistlekit growled at her brother, telling him to get off, while Tumblekit just sat at her mother's side, watching the larger tom with wondering eyes.

"How are you doing?" Dashpaw asked Whistlepaw as he sat down beside her, laying his tail across her flank.

_Okay. _

"Did you go training with Beetletooth? She said you were, but..."

Whistlepaw nodded. _We did, but only for a while. _Her eyes sparked with amusement. _I swear, Spikepaw and Talonpaw combined couldn't ward me off!_

Dashpaw purred and blinked at his littermate, his heart aching; how he wished that Whistlepaw would talk. How he wished she would talk so that they could conversate with one another, instead of Dashpaw looking into her eyes for answers to all his questions, responses to all his statements...

How he wished Whistlepaw would go back to being Whistlepaw.

"It's not the same," Dashpaw murmured quietly, watching as Vinestep rose to her paws, bid her kits farewell before leading her three back into the nursery cave. "It's not the same without you talking..."

Whistlepaw's eyes flashed with hurt. _I'm sorry, Dashie... But I can't; I don't know how anymore. _

"You don't how to do a lot of things anymore," Dashpaw growled harshly, and instantly regretted it. He looked to his sister, his eyes pleading. "I'm sorry, Whistlepaw. I didn't mean to say that - it just slipped out..."

Whistlepaw's eyes were darkened, but held the same brightness that had always been in them.

_I know I don't. But I'm getting there, one pawstep at a time..._

* * *

><p><strong>First chapter done! Woo! <strong>

**Sorry it's boring ;-;... This next chapter will be in Whistlepaw's POV - I'm not really sure if I can write her not talking, so I may have to change that... Well, we'll see!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	3. C H A P T E R T W O : W H I S T L E

**Back, again! :D**

**Thanks for all the reviews - they will be answered at the end of this chapter!**

**Guys! Guess what! I have both a Tumblr and a Twitter under the same PenName! Now you all can go follow me and see when I'll be updating next, using various hashtags I'll be telling you all to... Tag XD.**

**Twitter:**** TinyAuthorLifex**

**Tumblr: tinyauthorlifexx**

**Haha, okay, so there was this idea for a Warriors FanFic floating around on Twitter and it was: 'What if Princess joined ThunderClan instead of Rusty?' **

**Well, I gladly took the idea and have since begun to write Allegiances. Is that bad? XD So many stories and I really don't think I need another one added onto my plate, but... Plus, the idea has been done MANY times in this fandom, and I just don't know how I feel about it... Personally, I don't like Princess; I think she's a prissy little kitty who just gave her son to Fireheart in order to keep her bloodline safe and pure. Cliche and inaccurate to the dot, but that's how I feel about her ;-;... Any Princess lovers who are my fans, I am sorry about the above. **

**Anyways, chapter time!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><span><strong>The Hanging Tree<strong>

**A Warrior Cats FanFiction by Tiny Author Life xx**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WARRIORS.**

* * *

><p>Chapter Two<p>

_. Whistlepaw . _

* * *

><p><em>The dark gray she-cat could smell<em> fox.

In her two and a half-moon worth of training, never had Whistlepaw scented an enemy. She was never on patrols, only hunting and out helping Tangleburr collect herbs every once in a while during greenleaf. According to her brother - who had left on the dawn patrol, and Whistlepaw hadn't seen the brown and gray apprentice since then - Ivyfang wasn't in such a bright mood this morning, and thus she just-so happened to be on a border partol to RoseClan's border with Beetletooth, Whisperfang, and Blacktail.

Logically, Whistlepaw had no idea why Ivyfang would be so blind as to put a cat that couldn't speak on a border patrol, where you _had_ to talk and discuss where to scent markers; that was how border patrols were run, and that was how they would always be. The better choice would've been Spikepaw, who was most likely still in camp grooming his paws from when Whistlepaw had last seen him.

And so, when the scent of fox hit her nose, the dark gray she-cat's pelt fluffed in fear and her tail went straight in the air; her signal for enemy or alert, to which no other cat besides Dashpaw knew, she realized after a moment.

"What's wrong, Whistlepaw?" Whisperfang's voice sounded beside her. She turned to her father, her coral blue eyes pleading that the message burning within them would reach his mind if she stared at him long enough.

_There's a fox! There's a fox, Dad! You have to warn the others!_

Whisperfang's blank look gave her the answer that the black warrior had no idea why she was staring at him.

_Fox! Daaad... There's a fox! Can't you smell it?_

Whisperfang's tail twitched, and his eyes flashed with confusion.

_Fox! Territory! Get away before we all get eaten?_

Nothing.

Whistlepaw rolled her eyes and growled low under her breath.

"Fox!"

Blacktail's deep voice rang through the trees, and within a few moments the white tom stood at the edge of the hollow where they were standing, with Beetletooth by his side. The gray-and-white she-cat eyes were wide in fear, and her hackles were raised; Blacktail's eyes were calm and his pelt was unruffled.

She felt her father shift beside her, indicating he was facing the two. "Take Whistlepaw back to camp and get Ivyfang, Fleecefur, Wildfur, Flamepelt and Russetflower," the black warrior meowed hurriedly, and Whistlepaw felt the two warriors step up beside her, their pelts brushing against her protectively. "Now!"

"Come on, Whistlepaw." Beetletooth mewed calmly as she sped off after Blacktail, and the dark gray apprentice followed her mentor out of the hollow. They twisted and weaved through trees and bushes, and Whistlepaw fought back hisses and growls as her long gray pelt continuously got snagged on burrs, twigs, and thorns. Her paws scraped against rocks and thorns as she raced alongside her mentor, trying her best to keep up.

They finally descended down the rocks to camp, where Whistlepaw was left alone while Blacktail and Beetletooth gathered the cats Whisperfang requested. In the few short seconds she had been in camp, she watched as the group shot up the rocks and fled back to the hollow, where she was sure her father remained still scenting the fox.

"What's going on?"

Spikepaw's sleepy mew entered Whistlepaw's ears.

The dark gray she-cat turned her head and watched as the ginger and black tom padded out of the apprentices den, his jaws stretching in a wide yawn. Whistlepaw noticed how ruffled his pelt was and how tired his eyes looked, but after a moment they turned to a clear, bright emerald green.

_He must've been taking a nap..._ Whistlepaw thought.

"Well?' Spikepaw asked, his green eyes settling on her coral blue. "Why did half of our warriors leave?"

"Whistlepaw! Where are you?"

Dashpaw's concerned voice boomed up above her. Pebbles bumped on her head as the tom scattered down the rocks and slid to a halt in the center of the clearing, still yowling her name to the sunlit sky. "Whistlepaw!"

"She's over here, stupid!" called Spikepaw with a smirk on his face. Whistlepaw fought back the urge to claw the tom as her brother's gaze turned to one of fear and concern to one of calm. The brown and gray patched tom raced over to her and buried his muzzle into her side, his warm breath warming the fur that his muzzle was muffled by.

"Thank StarClan," Dashpaw breathed as he pulled back and touched his nose to Whistlepaw's cheek, "I thought that Whisperfang didn't send you back."

Spikepaw snorted from Whistlepaw's other side. "Well, he did," he muttered, "We can all rejoice that the mute apprentice has returned to us!"

At this, Whistlepaw's heart sank down to her paws. No matter how much neither her or Dashpaw wanted to admit that Spikepaw was right, he was; the tom, as overconfident and self-centered as he was, had made a very true point.

"She's not mute," hissed Dashpaw.

"Then why won't she talk?" Spikepaw countered. "If she's not mute, why hasn't she talked since she was two moons old from the Hanging Tree?"

Whistlepaw froze as the ginger and black tom recalled the memory of the Hanging Tree story; the story that made Whistlepaw so frightened, she vowed to never speak of it again. She thought that, by not talking, she was saving herself as well as others from the same curse that occured to the two cats in the story; but obviously, that plan backfired, leaving her useless in any sort of Clan life.

"Don't speak that name in front of her, you fox-heart!" Dashpaw's pelt was bristling, showing that he was getting angered by Spikepaw's persistence on the matter.

"If she's not afraid of that story," Spikepaw wondered aloud, turning to her with a cruel gleam in his eye and a small smile on his face, "then talk, Whistlepaw."

Dashpaw's gaze seered her fur. "You don't have too, Whistlepaw. Don't listen to him."

"Talk, Whistlepaw." Spikepaw's voice was harder this time.

"He's trying to prove a point... Don't let it get to you."

"Talk!" demanded Spikepaw, his pelt on end and his eyes craving her failure.

Whistlepaw felt Dashpaw's eyes on her, supporting her from the inside as well as the outside. The dark gray apprentice swallowed and thought for a moment before opening her mouth, trying to form words on her sand-paper tongue...

_Nothing. _

"See?" Spikepaw asked, turning back to Dashpaw. "She's mute, Dashpaw. Admit it to yourself that your sister is mute and will never talk again."

"You fox-hearted monster," Dashpaw hissed, lashing his tail.

Spikepaw turned to her once more, and Whistlepaw shrank back against her brother. Spikepaw towered over her, his shadow blocking out the sun and turning the ginger spots on his pelt to flame. "Oh, little Whistlepaw... Sweet, innocent Whistlepaw..." he purred mockingly, brushing his tail-tip up against her cheek.

She heard Dashpaw growl loudly.

"You should have been named _Quiet_paw."

His words stung, numbing her like ice.

_Nothing... _

* * *

><p><strong>Whistlepaw's part done! Woo!<strong>

**It was fun to write :D. **

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**Just follow me and let me know in a review if you have or not!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	4. C H A P T E R T H R E E : D A S H P A W

**Woo! I'm back home in SC for Thanksgiving, visiting my sister and nieces! I'm so happy!**

**And then, you know, I've got to drive the agonizing hours to California so I can re-visit Nikki's family. ;-;... I feel like I've just seen them more throughout the short time he and I have been married than my own sister XD. It's okay, though, because I love my mother-in-law's cooking o_o... Like, oh my God, it's heaven. *drools***

**Uhm, sorry. XD**

**Anyways, chapter time, I guess! :3**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Three<p>

_; Dashpaw ;_

* * *

><p><em>Dashpaw was dreaming - he knew that <em>from the darkness that surrounded him on all angles.

In reality, it was his first time in the darkened space, the blackness giving away to nothing but obscure scenery.

"Hello?" Dashpaw called to the darkness, feeling the grass beneath his paws brush against them like daggers, "I - Is anyone there?"

There was no answer for a long moment. Then, the blackness melted away, allowing Dashpaw to see where he was; muck lined trees and bushes, and the grass was long and winding around him. Tree branches hung high above him, tangled and shivering in the wind so hard that Dashpaw was sure they would break off and plummet towards him.

"Dashpaw," purred a cat, and the tom whipped around, hissing with his ears pinned back against his head in fear. In the inky blackness that protruded from the trees, a cat was lightly outlined, before the muck deteriorated, leaving a battle-scarred gray and black she-cat in its place. The cats eyes - a dark, deeming amber - dug into his pelt, seering it like the sun that did not shine in this place.

"Who are you?" Dashpaw demanded. "A - Are you going to hurt me?"

"No, little one," purred the cat, and Dashpaw's ear tingled as the she-cat's tail-tip brushed against it. "I will not hurt you. You are safe here in this place with me."

"What is this place?"

"That does not matter," she meowed rather quickly, seeming to be growing impatient. She flicked her tail and turned, looking back at Dashpaw through cruel eyes that were shaded with something the brown and gray patched tom did not seem to recognize. "Come, Dashpaw... You have much to learn."

"Learn?" Dashpaw asked as he began to follow the she-cat through the muck-lined trees, the disgusted and foul-smelling stuff getting in his pelt. He growled in annoyance, yet kept it low to himself; now was not the time to be complaining, only wonder where in StarClan he was going.

That's when the question popped into his head, and he bluntly asked the cat:

"Is this StarClan?"

At this, the tom before him stopped, making Dashpaw run into her. Dashpaw scrambled away, sensing that he had made the cat angry by the way the she-cat's gray and black pelt was bristling. "S - Sorry," he murmured hurriedly, "I - I thought that I was i - in StarClan..."

The she-cat whirled on him, hissing and baring her teeth. "No, this is not StarClan," he snarled, his eyes blazing. "This is a place far better than your pesty little ancestors." She sent one last glare to Dashpaw before turning back around and plowing through the trees, Dashpaw racing to keep up with her as they reached a barren hollow.

There were no cats in the hollow; only Dashpaw and the mysterious cat were present. Dashpaw's pelt pricked with unease; what was happening, and could he even get out of it if he ran?

"I sense your fear," the she-cat purred, her scent wreathing around Dashpaw as she began to wind herself around him. Her breath tickled his ears and pelt as she said, "I can smell it; it's prominent and clearly noticable..." she winked at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "You should probably cover that up."

She turned, rasied her head to the blackened sky and yowled, "My cats! Gather before me!"

As if her call had created lifeforms, cats began to pour out of the bushes and down from trees. Dashpaw stood beside the she-cat, stunned at how many were gathering before them; all of these cats were hers?

One cat snarled at him, his eyes disapproving. "I don't think this is him."

"Are you positive?" asked another; a dark brown she-cat with long whiskers.

"There has to be a mistake," muttered a reddish tom with dark rings around his blue eyes.

"Silence!" commanded the she-cat, and they all shut their jaws. Her eyes passed over them all, and each one sat up straighter than before as her eyes glided over them like prey. "I have found him; he is the one! I know from his aura..." she looked up at him, awe in her amber eyes. "You are one of us, Dashpaw."

"I'm one of _what_?" Dashpaw asked, dumbfounded. "I don't even know what I'm apart of! I don't even know why I'm here!"

"You're here because you're like us," the she-cat concluded solemnly, "You're like me."

"You?" Dashpaw's eyes grew wide. "How can I possibly be anything like you? I don't even know your name! I don't even know what this place is!"

"This is the Unknown." answered the reddish tom from before. "The place between StarClan and -"

"He needn't know the other," the she-cat said harshly, and the reddish tom dipped his head, silencing his words. She turned to him, her eyes smiling as well as her face.

Dashpaw shivered under her gaze, and the rest of the cats began to slink forward. His heart pounded in his chest, and Dashpaw could hear blood roaring in his ears.

"Someone!" Dashpaw cried as the cats began to glide closer to him, their eyes melting from blues, green, and ambers and turning a sickening dull brown. "Help me! Get me out of this place, whatever it is!"

"You're in the Unknown, Dashpaw..." murmured the she-cat, as she as well began to slink forward at the head of her cats. Her pelt melted from gray and black to a pale gray...

Her eyes from amber to black.

"My name is Stoatpaw. Welcome to our ranks."

Dashpaw's heart seized as the Dark Forest cats lunged for him.

* * *

><p><strong>Daaark. But super awesooooommmmeeee. <strong>

**I love this chapter so much! AGH IT IS BEAUTIFUL. **

**I hadn't meant for Dashpaw to come in contact with Stoatpaw until about chapter ten, but I just couldn't wait... and with the way the chapter was seeming to flow in the darkened setting, I felt the need to throw someone in there that we knew XD. **

**Next Update!:::**

**It should be tomorrow or sometime in between then and Monday. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx **


	5. C H A P T E R F O U R : W H I S T L E

**I'm baaaaack. :D**

**How did you all like the last chapter? I hope it wasn't too odd for you to read XD. But from the reviews it got, a lot of you liked it!**

**Thanks to Painted in Turquoise and Silver for pointing out my little mistake during the chapter - I forgot the part where I put 'Unknown' instead of Dark Forest, and so when she read the chapter, I think she thought it didn't make sense to which I agree; it didn't. So thank you, Painted! :D**

**Here we go guys! I hope you all like this chapter, even if it may be not as dark as the previous two!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Four<p>

_. Whistlepaw ._

* * *

><p><em>Death was inevitable; even Whistlepaw knew <em>that.

And so when three bodies were rested down on the ground before the entire Clan - all three of them kits - Whistlepaw felt nothing but hollow inside.

There were screams; cries of horror; simple murmurs of remorse and sorrow to the mother... her mother.

Sharpkit, Thistlekit, and Tumblekit had died swiftly; after Tumblekit and Sharpkit had complained of a stomach problem and Thistlekit had complained of a dull throbbing in her head - which quickly progressed to a loud ringing noise - Tangleburr and Talonpaw had concluded they all shared the same sort of symtoms caught during greenleaf, when the prey was just coming out of hibernation and most likely had something toxic on their fur. Of course, it was not noticed up until that point, and so now Ivyfang had every single hunting patrol's prey being inspected in ensure that something such as this would never happen again to such innocent lives.

"Innocent lives were lost tonight," came Ivyfang's gruff voice, hardened by remorse. "But we will get through this difficult time as one. We've done it before, and we can certainly do it again."

The CavernClan deputy bowed her head, and so did all of the Clan. Only those closest to the three kits heads remained up; Whisperfang, the father, Vinestep, the mother, Dashpaw, the brother...

That left Whistlepaw; the sister.

The moment of silence passed like a blur, and suddenly Ivyfang's voice cut through the night once more.

"The Clan gives you our sincerest apologies for your losses, Vinestep and Whisperfang..."

Her eyes glided over Whistlepaw's pelt, and she felt the deputy's saddened eyes deepen.

"Dashpaw and Whistlepaw... We are here for you, and above all else we will help you through this time in your lives."

Cats nodded, and many pressed close to her parents. Dashpaw, who sat beside her, rubbed his muzzle into her shoulder, and she returned the gesture.

Spikepaw's pelt pressing against her side made Whistlepaw turn her head to the left, seeing the ginger and black tom standing there with his green eyes remorseful.

"I'm sorry for your loss," was all he said.

She held his gaze for a moment longer before the tom bowed his head, breaking off their contact. _Thank you..._

Dashpaw's growl made Whistlepaw's attention go to her brother, whose pelt was beginning to fluff up in alert. His eyes blazed with a fire of rage that Whistlepaw knew wouldn't be contained for long. She immediately pressed her nose against his cheek; her signal for calm. At once his pelt flattened, but his eyes were still blazing; she repeated the signal, praying to StarClan that he wouldn't cause any trouble.

"He didn't do anything to you?" Dashpaw whispered under his breath.

Whistlepaw shook her head, blinking. _He just said he was sorry for our loss. _

Dashpaw snorted. "Yeah, okay."

_He did!_

"Okay, whatever you say..." Dashpaw meowed, nudging her lightly with his shoulder. His action was meant to be playful, but his eyes hled skepticism and wonder, as if he didn't believe her for what Spikepaw had said.

The dark gray apprentice let out a growl to her brother but didn't bother to comment. Instead, she turned her attention to the Clan, who were all looking at both her and Dashpaw; her parents were seated up at the very front of the Clan, with their three kits around them in a circle.

_They're greiving. Greiving for the lives they brought into this world, and then having it taken away... _

"We have to go up there," Dashpaw sighed, his eyes hollow. Whistlepaw slowly rose to her paws, feeling her legs wobble beneath her; Dashpaw, strong and confident as he was, rose to his paws rather shyly. Together, with the eyes of the Clan on their every pawstep, the siblings made their way towards their parents and seated themselves beside them.

They said nothing to each other; there was nothing to be said.

* * *

><p>When dawn came, there was no one in camp.<p>

She looked up at the empty camp, seeing no cats other than her, Dashpaw, and their parents; only one cat remained outside, watching her.

_Spikepaw? Why is he still out here? _

The ginger and black tom was looking directly at her, his eyes saddened yet bright. Whistlepaw shrugged, trying to get his eyes out of her head; but they were imprinted in there, unable to be locked away.

"Whistlepaw... Dashpaw..." came her father's deep voice.

The dark gray apprentice turned to the black tom, whose amber eyes were dull with sorrow alongside sleep-deprivation. Her mother stood beside him, looking in the same sullen state as he was; Dashpaw was still beside her, and now was looking up at their father with hurt eyes.

Her mother placed Thistlekit at her paws; at Dashpaw's, Tumblekit. At her own lay Sharpkit. "We must bury them," she meowed quietly.

"Where?" asked Dashpaw for both of them.

"Up at the hollow," Whisperfang replied, "it's the best place for them there. That way they won't be taken by other animals in the territory."

Her parents spoke of their own kits, their own flesh and blood, as if they were nothing more but bad fresh-kill being discarded away from camp. Maybe it was the greif talking, or perhaps it was just pure disgust for what the pair had made; Whistlepaw couldn't tell which.

"Come," Vinestep mewed, taking her largest kitten in her jaws. Sharpkit's tail hung down, dead and defeated, just as Thistlekit's did in hers and Tumblekit did in Dashpaw's. With a trot not meant for grief, the brown she-cat began to lead her children up the rocks and towards the hollow, briskly trotting to the desired place in a rapid speed.

She discarded Sharpkit rudely, placing him on the ground and leaving him there. She, alongside her brother, placed their sisters more delicately on the ground, and began to dig holes to place them in so that, when leafbare came, they wouldn't rot away so quickly as they would out in the open. As she set Thistlekit in her grave, Whistlepaw's heart tore in two; how innocent and little her sister happened to be, and now here she was burying the precious life that shouldn't have been taken.

There was a moment of silence from Vinestep before she turned and headed back to camp. Dashpaw and Whistlepaw, however, remained at the burial sight, their heads bowed in silence that they wished could have stretched on forever.

"Whistlepaw?"

Spikepaw's voice shattered the silence, and Whistlepaw's couldn't contain it anymore. She began to cry, crumbling to the ground in a heap of sadness and heartache. She heard Dashpaw let out a whimper, and she knew he was trying to appear bigger than her by not crying in front of his enemy.

Spikepaw's scent wrapped around her, and the ginger and black tom's pelt was mixing with hers, creating a warmth that no other pelt - not even Dashpaw's - could provide. She buried her muzzle into his fur, and he allowed her to just lay there with him, crying over the siblings she had known her entire life, yet felt as if she had never met them.

* * *

><p><strong>Wahhhhh. Saddddd... I didn't expect that beginning or the ending, to be honest ;-;... <strong>

**Sorry, but I had to put some potential fluff in there XD. If you're looking for a way to ship SpikexWhistle, then this it for you, along with some other fluffies coming in later chapters x3. **

**That's all for now! I'm tired, and I'm being requested to bed by my husband, 'cause you know XD... I'm warm and stuff at night x3. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	6. C H A P T E R F I V E : D A S H P A W

**Review Replies:**

_**Smileyorangekitty ~ Hah, yeah... I tent to do that a lot XD. Thanks for reviewing!**_

_**Painted Turquoise and Silver ~ Haha, yesssss. X3**_

_**EradrinSkyleaf ~ HAHAHA XDDD. You have no idea how hard I laughed at your review yesterday XDDDD. #ClassicPMConvo XD. Oh my God, I love you so much right now Eradrin XD. Your reviews always make me laugh, someway or another!**_

**Wow, that last chapter got a lot of positive reviews! Thanks guys! :D**

**Here is the next chapter - I hope you like this one just as much :3. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Five<p>

_; Dashpaw ;_

* * *

><p><em>His claws were stained with blood.<em>

The apprentice stared, his eyes wide. He stood there, rigid and cold to the bone; what he had just done could never be repeated.

The she-cat before him looked upon the body, her black eyes skeptical. "Is it dead?"

It was the body of a fellow Unknown. A young cat, the same age as him; a cat with small legs yet a large stature. It hadn't taken the tom much to kill the other off, but it still hurt.

It always would.

The apprentice prodded the dead cat blindly, not feeling in his own body. "I - I think so," he murmured, his ears flat against his head.

The she-cat let out a growl of distaste. "Foolish, that one was," she meowed, flicking her tail as her eyes settled on him. She let out a purr of approval to him, rising to her paws and padding towards him. "You did well, Dashpaw," she murmured, her breath tickling the apprentice's ear fur.

Dashpaw's heart wrenched as he stared down at the cat; Demetri, his name was... An innocent life, plucked out by Stoatpaw from the throngs of cats before them in one simple thought; now he lay on the ground, his life around him in the crimson form of blood.

Dashpaw felt sick. His stomach convulsed, as if he would throw up, yet nothing came. His legs trembled and his pelt was on end, his eyes wide and horrified.

"You did well," Stoatpaw purred. "_Apprentice._"

The word apprentice made Dashpaw's heart lurch.

"Why did you make me do that?" Dashpaw croaked out, a small cry intertwining with the words. He wanted to know why - he needed to know why.

Stoatpaw's black eyes blinked at him. "He was a weakling," she said simply.

"He was innocent!" cried Dashpaw, tears stinging the corners of his eyes, "He did nothing and now he's dead!"

"He was a fool to not fight back!" Stoatpaw objected, her pelt beginning to fluff up.

"He shouldn't have had too! I should have never killed him!"

"Whose fault was that, now?" Stoatpaw hissed, her fangs flashing in the moonlight as she smiled at him. "It wasn't mine... It wasn't Demetri's..."

The world swayed beneath Dashpaw's paws as she whispered:

"_It was yours..."_

"It wasn't mine." Dashpaw growled, lashing his tail.

"Oh," purred Stoatpaw mockingly, "But it was, Dashpaw. Don't you see? _Your_ claws are stained with blood. _Your_ body is weak from exhaustion. The world is swaying beneath _your_ paws. Don't you see? You're a murderer..."

Dashpaw shook his head, trying to clear it out of the fog. _Don't listen to her... She's trying to get to you... _

"You're a murderer, Dashpaw... Just... Like... Me."

The ground disinegrated beneath his paws and shattered into fragments. Dashpaw let out a cry as his paws were taken out from underneath him by a swipe of Stoatpaw's paw, and her cruel black eyes were all he focused on as he fell down to nothing.

* * *

><p>"<em>Tangleburr!<em>" shouted a cat. "_T__alonpaw_!"

Paws pounding against the ground. A horrified scream from his mother; a hushed whimper from his father... Paws scrambling around his pelt; a nose being pressed against his side, and the words, "Fever... Really bad... Medicine den..." in his ears.

His body being lifted on the backs of two cats; his head hanging low to the ground, his eyes blearly opening and looking up towards something, anything that would allow him to know he wasn't in that dark, cruel place anymore...

He felt cold; very cold. As if he had been standing out in the worst storm of leafbare with nothing put his wet, frost-covered pelt. His eyes felt heavy, as if weights were placed on them, dragging them down; but however much his mind willed, he would not close his eyes. If he did, he was certain that he would end up there again, with the same she-cat, with the same dead cat laying at his paws...

He didn't want that. Anything but that.

Her eyes flashed before him, and he let out a sharp cry. His mother murmured soothing words to him, while his father's fur brushed against his for comfort as he lowered into a nest as gently as possible.

But he wasn't in pain; he was scarred mentally.

Her smile gleamed in his vision, and her purr rang in his ears as his eyes began to go in and out of focus, his mind in and out of unconsciousness. The cold he had felt before intensified, numbing him to the bone; he felt nothing but cold, his body shivering as he began to convulse.

Something was being put down his throat; what it was, he didn't know. But it soothed his shaking body, his clouded mind...

"Dashpaw..." his mother murmured. She sounded far away, yet her breath hit his muzzle when she spoke.

"You're going to be okay..." his father's voice, too, sounded far away, yet his pelt was warm against his side.

Then, through all the commotion, a warm paw pressed against his face. It was soft and delicate, and Dashpaw thought it was a StarClan warrior coming to take him.

A feather-like voice protruded through all the others, as his eyes gave away to nothing but black.

"Don't leave me, Dashie... Don't you dare leave me."

_Whistlepaw... _

* * *

><p><strong>WHAT IS WITH ME IN WRITING SAD AND DRAMATIC CHAPTERS THESE PAST FEW DAYS? O_O<strong>

**I hope you all liked this :3. I did, that's for sure. Never knew I could write in such detail XD. **

**WHISTLEPAW SPOKE! YAY! :D**

**Happy Thanksgiving, **

**Ben xx**


	7. C H A P T E R S I X : W H I S T L E

**So, from all the reviews for last chapter, I'm guessing you all liked it? **

**Good, because this next chapter will be the same tye of thing, only lighter and heart-aching. :3**

**I'm such a cruel person! I'm making you all sad on like, the happiest day of the year besides Christmas and your birthdays XD. **

**Meh. *shrug***

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Six<p>

_. Whistlepaw . _

* * *

><p><em>"Don't leave me, Dashie... Don't you <em>ever dare."

What in StarClan did she just say?

The den went silent, and all eyes turned to her; Vinestep's eyes were wide in awe, while Whisperfang's were dull with worry. Tangleburr's eyes were sparkling with happiness, while Talonpaw looked at her as if she had come down from StarClan itself.

"W..." Vinestep started, unable to speak due to shock. "Whistlepaw? Did you just..."

"Speak?" Whisperfang, Talonpaw, and Tangleburr said all at once. Vinestep nodded, showing that was what she had wanted to say.

The dark gray she-cat felt her pelt grow warm, and her cheeks flush to a dull pink. "Y... Yeah?" The word felt odd on her tongue.

Her parents rushed forward, rubbing muzzles with her and purring loudly. Talonpaw padded next to her and brushed his pelt against hers, his eyes warm with congratulations; Tangleburr offered her a flick on the ear with his tail and a purr of delight, his eyes beaming.

Dashpaw's hiss, followed by a small whimper, stopped all the happiness. Whistlepaw went to her brother's side, with Vinestep and Whisperfang just behind her. Talonpaw and Tangleburr hung back, allowing the family some space and alone time with the brown and gray patched tom.

Her father's voice was low and deep as he meowed, "Will you be able to save him?"

Whistlepaw placed her paw against her brother's cheek, feeling the warmth of his muzzle; it was warmer than normal, as if the sun had somehow managed to seep into his body and radiate off his fur. It felt as if she were touching hot coals, and Whistlepaw drew away, hissing and shaking her paw. Dashpaw cringed at the sound, another whimper escaping him; Whistlepaw's heart tore in two watching her brother suffer like this, for she knew there was nothing he did to deserve whatever he was getting.

She blocked out Tangleburr's response, followed by Vinestep's sob and focused on her brother. The brown and gray patched apprentice was shaking, his fur feeling wet with sweat; though his eyes were closed they happened to be wide, as if he were staring at something from within his mind.

"Dashie..." she whispered, her eyes filling with tears, "Can you hear me?"

Silence followed her question, and the dark gray apprentice hung her head, her tears falling from her eyes and onto Dashpaw's fur.

* * *

><p>"Whistlepaw."<p>

The dark gray apprentiec turned to the voice, expecting to see her father or mother, or even Tangleburr. But instead, Spikepaw stood in the place of all three of them, his green eyes shining in the darkness of the den.

She blinked, her eyelids feeling heavy; was it already nighttime?

"Are you coming to the den? It's warmer in there."

Whistlepaw's eyes drew away from the ginger and black tom and focused on Dashpaw. His eyes were still closed, his breathing slightly abnormal; his pelt was still burning up, worse than it was before.

She closed her eyes, sighing. "I can't leave him."

"He's got Tangleburr and Talonpaw here - Dashpaw will be fine for the night."

"What if they don't hear him when something goes wrong?" Whistlepaw asked, her voice hard. "What happens if he dies and I'm not here?"

"He won't die, Whistlepaw."

"How do you know?"

"Tangleburr and Talonpaw are well-trained medicine cats," Spikepaw stated. "Talonpaw has excellent hearing - he'll hear your brother if something goes wrong."

"I'm not leaving him," Whistlepaw mewed. She glared at the tom as she turned her head to face him. "And you'll have to drag me by my tail to get me away from Dashpaw."

Spikepaw's eyes flashed with worry, and he padded towards her, his paws tentive on the ground. Whistlepaw let out a hiss and swiped at him, only to have the tom be more driven to get to her. The dark gray she-cat looked to her brother, focusing on something other than Spikepaw as his pawsteps stopped, his muzzle pressing into the crown of her head. He sighed into her, the fur where his muzzle was growing warm from his breath.

"I can't make you leave. You're right," he meowed, the words muffled by Whistlepaw's fur, "But I can, however, stay with you."

She raised her eyes, meeting his as he settled down beside her on his belly. His breath tickled her whiskers, and Whistlepaw forced back a sneeze. His eyes were warm, yet darkened with worry, and his ears were flat against his head, as if he were waiting for the silence to dim to nothing but the hum of their breathing.

It did, for a dull moment, before Whistlepaw broke it by speaking:

"I thought you hated Dashpaw. Why are you here, comforting me?"

His voice was calm as he answered. "I came because I needed too. I've been here, Whistlepaw, whether you believe it or not."

Whistlepaw snorted, rolling her eyes. "How would you know the feeling? Talonpaw's your only sibling."

His eyes flashed with remorse, and a small, yet audible cry escaped his lips.

"I lost my sister, back when I was still a kit. It was a moon or two before you and Dashpaw were born. We didn't know what was wrong with her... Her heart just dulled overnight, and my mother heard it, called for Tangleburr and... just left her, Talonpaw and I there in the nursery." His breathing grew more harsh, and his eyes lit with a fire of rage. "I knew my mother was a self-concieted idiot. Always thinking for herself before her kits, the ones she brought into this world... And as I sat here, where you are now, waiting for my sister to die, all I could think about was how mcuh I wanted my mother to pay for what she did. Why she didn't bother to stay with us while my sister's body convulsed, heaved, and finally fell still that cold leafbare night... Why she never came back to me or my brother."

His eyes dulled, and his voice was softer as he murmured:

"Her name was Jaykit. She was a beautiful she-cat, and I knew that she was probably going to have a mate the minute she became a warrior." he let out a purr at the memory. "Our mother was Reedsplash, our father being the old leader Wingstar... From the time I was little, Jaykit always loved to listen to the birds that soared above us... I would always listen to her humming away, as the birds flew overhead; I fell asleep to it more times than I can remember. She loved birds, and I'm guessing that's why I nicknamed her Birdsong.

"Jaykit died about a moon after she was born, and the birds went silent for a while... It was odd, to say the least. Then, a moon later, you and Dashpaw were born. Whisperfang couldn't come up with a name for Dashpaw until Vinestep suggested it. What was funny was that neither of them could come up with a name for you; they tried, using Flykit, Fernkit, Buzzardkit, and even Tricklekit, but nothing seemed appropriate. And so, they asked my father, who happened to retire and become an elder. He suggested Rushkit, but it didn't work either. Then, my father ended up turning to Talonpaw and I and asking what we thought of for names. Talonpaw threw out some odd ones like Snapkit and Turtlekit; they were pretty bad, let me tell you!"

His eyes warmed, and he let out a soft purr as he continued.

"Out in the open, I heard the faintest noise... A soft and meek call to nothing but the sky, and realized it was a bird... One of the birds Jaykit loved to watch and sing along with. I immediately thought of her, and decided on Whistlekit, for the whistle the bird brought to the sky that day, and for my sisters beautiful hum." He shrugged, waving his tail, and his cheeks flushed a dull red. "I guess I named you that day, Whistlepaw."

The dark gray she-cat stared at the ginger and black tom, her coral blue eyes wide in shock yet awe.

He inched forward, close enough that their breath stirred the air around them. "I know what it's like, waiting the hours for what may or may not claim a cat's life. But that isn't something we can control; and if they do indeed die, then we have to move on, as if they're still living."

"Spikepaw..." she murmured, but the touch of his nose against her cheek stopped her from continuing.

"Stop," he meowed, his breath against her cheek. "I know what you're going to say." he drew away, purring lightly. "And for the record, I hate you too."

For a moment she forgot that Dashpaw was laying beside her; she forgot that Talonpaw and Tangleburr were just a tail-length away; she forgot about the universe, the existence of the world...

Al she saw was him.

All she saw was Spikepaw.

And hate was another word for love.

She hated him; he hated her.

But what they hated the most brought out the best in them.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh. My. GOD. <strong>

**So. Many. FEEEELLLLSSSS. :DDDD**

**I guess that's what happens after you watch Marley and Me and cry your eyes out. XD**

**Hopefully this next update won't be too long of a wait; perhaps a few days, maybe a week... Hopefully no later than that. **

**Regards, and Happy Thanksgiving, **

**Ben xx**


	8. C H A P T E R S E V E N : D A S H P A W

**Well, hello. :3**

**FIFTY REVIEWS GUYS! OH MY GOD YOU ALL ARE AMAZING AND I COULD LITERALLY HUG YOU ALL. *huggles all of you***

**THIS CHAPTER IS EXTREMELY GOREY. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THE DESCRIPTIONS OF GORE CONTENT DO NOT READ.  
><strong>

**Oooooops. *derp face***

**I know you've all been waiting for this chapter, so here it is. **

**I present Dashpaw. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven<p>

_; Dashpaw ; _

* * *

><p><em>The only thing he could register <em>in his subconscious was water.

Why water, he had no idea. Perhaps it was the illness talking, or maybe he was just going crazy; either way, Dashpaw didn't mind at all. What stunned the brown and gray patched tom was the deep current that dragged him along the shore like a dead animal. It slowly slugged him along, farther and farther into the unknown space he was in.

But fear didn't paralyze him to the bone; it was the coldness of the water itself, along with curiosity.

He reached out a paw, his claws extended as he tried to grasp onto something to haul himself up to the dark sand above him. He let out a small growl at how sand slipped through his claws before finally, after he was sure he was to never grab onto anything, his claw snagged on a tree branch jutting out of the sand. He clung on, feeling the water dragging at his pelt and willing him to come with it; but he did not - would not - let the water carry him to what he was sure would be a waterfall and, ultimately, his death.

With a grunt, Dashpaw hauled himself up and flopped down next to the branch, breathing hard. His pelt was cold, so very cold, and he wished he had the comfort and security of someone - anyone - beside him.

"My darling apprentice," purred a voice. "You've come back to me..."

He knew that voice; those cold, cobalt black eyes that chilled him whenever he made eye contact; he knew everything about this cat all too well.

"Stoatpaw," he hissed under his breath, and felt the warmth of her pelt brush against his, providing the comfort he so desperately needed. He forced himself not to purr in delight; this cat was the one who had made him like this! He shouldn't be purring over her warm fur, or her shimmering black eyes...

He felt her paw raise his chin, forcing their eyes to meet; amber on black, they stared the other down.

"My darling..." Stoatpaw purred sweetly, giving him a lick on the nose. Dashpaw hissed and twisted violently, releasing his chin from under her paw as he whirled to face her, his pelt on end and his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Get away," Dashpaw snarled.

Stoatpaw's eyes flashed with hurt, and her voice was softer as she said, "Oh, don't be like that..." she stepped up to him, allowing their breath to mingle on one another's muzzles. "I was only greeting you politely..."

Dashpaw hissed, feeling his stomach churn and crawl with unease.

"Why am I here?"

The blunt question made Stoatpaw chuckle, as if it were meant to be funny. "My darling tom, don't you get it?" she asked, tipping her head to the side and blinking at him warmly. "You thought of me as you fainted... Now you're here, in the realm of the dead... Where I reside as the one and true leader..."

"Leader?"

"Yes, a leader!" Her eyes flashed with cruelty and passion as she snaked around him, her paws leaving blood tracks on the ground. "The cats here are blubbering idiots, nothing but heaps of fur and useless flesh! They look to me, because they know that I cannot be defeated..."

Dashpaw's jaw clenched and he forced the nausea down.

"Come here, little one," Stoatpaw mewed quietly, wrapping her tail around his neck and guiding him forward despite his struggling. "I have something to show you..."

"Where are you taking me?" Dashpaw choked out from the reeking stench of her tail.

"Somewhere you will learn to adore..." was all she replied.

Stoatpaw led him on for what felt like seasons; finally, they stepped into a clearing, where there was only one tree. The tree was lined with flowers, as if that particular space was the only place where there was life. There was nothing else but the tree, the smell of death, and them. They were alone, and Dashpaw willed himself not to scream for help.

"It's just a tree," Dashpaw said, looking at Stoatpaw from where she now stood beside him, her tail still wrapped around his neck. "What's so special about it?"

"Go closer, my little one," she purred, looking over at him fondly. "Your answer awaits."

Feeling compelled to do as she said, Dashpaw put one paw in front of the other carefully. One by one, inch by inch, he made his way closer and closer to the tree; his stomach twisted and coiled in on itself, as it were an animal going into hiding. His pelt began to grow warm, and his eyes were going in and out of focus the closer he got.

His paw touched something hard, and a snapping sound consumed the clearing, echoing off nothing. Dashpaw snapped out of his thoughts and peered down, his mouth gaping in a silent scream as he realized just what he had stepped on:

Skulls. Numerous skulls of dead cats; their eyes, still in their sockets, glaring at him for what he had done.

Dashpaw backed away, stumbling a bit as he did so. His eyes grew wide out of horror and fear, and his pelt pricked with unease. For a moment he was begging his legs to carry him back to where Stoatpaw was so that he didn't have to look at them; but his eyes drew upwards instead, and he let out a scream of horror.

Cats, hung by their tails up on the tree branches. A light brown tom and a brown-and-white she-cat's eyes met his, staring; though they had no eyes, the hollowed out space about sent Dashpaw running for his life.

"This..." he murmured, and felt Stoatpaw's fur brush his once more as she finished his sentence.

"This is it," she purred, resting her head on his shoulder. "This is the Hanging Tree..."

* * *

><p><strong>BAM. <strong>

**HOW WAS THAT FOR AN ENDING... :D**

**Regards, **

**Author xx**


	9. C H A P T E R E I G H T : W H I S T L E

**Aloha, guys!**

**I'm not Hawaiian, but I sure wish I was! Tan, good looking, surfing... They have it all, man. ;-;**

**I'm sorry this chapter took so long to come out - my computer kept crashing and having problems, but it's now working fine... Technology is odd, let me tell you. **

**On the bright side, I have to do a writing presentation tomorrow night at 5 PM. My thesis paper on the use of writing propaganda in the United States is good enough to become a PowerPoint! Woo!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Eight<p>

_. Whistlepaw ._

* * *

><p><em>Perhaps if there had been a <em>more agressive warning and ice hadn't begun to freeze the forest, Whistlepaw would have had a better outcome from hunting. Instead she carried a thrush in her jaws, the skinny animal not even a decent amount of meat for a single cat; it would have to do, though, as many cats were needing every ounce of strength they could get.

At her side was Spikepaw; ahead of her were Beetletooth and Flamepelt. All three of their jaws were laden with prey - at least a few morsels to feed some cats, and here Whistlepaw was with nothing but one measly thrush. The dark gray apprentice let out a growl of anger and kicked at the ground, frost scattering and getting on her forelegs. "I hate snow," she hissed to no cat in particular.

"We all do," Beetletooth meowed through a jaw full of mousetails. Flamepelt turned her head to look back at Whistlepaw, her eyes sympathetic for the young she-cat.

"It's always the hardest for us to catch prey," muttered Spikepaw from around his pigeon.

"We've survived this long," Flamepelt chided lightly, still looking at Whistlepaw. "I don't think StarClan will fail us now." the ginger she-cat turned her head back onto the pathway to camp, but her eyes still burned on Whistlepaw's fur.

Whistlepaw sighed as she clambered down the rocks to camp, her ears flat to her head. Her eyes scanned the clearing, wondering where Vinestep, Whisperfang, or Dashpaw happened to be. Ever since Dashpaw was deemed physically stable, Tangleburr was nice enough to allow the brown and gray patched tom a few hours out in the daylight each day; his mental state, however, was an entirely different - and more serious - matter.

No cat knew what was wrong with Dashpaw's head. No cat knew what was going on inside of it; not even Whistlepaw, who could almost always read her brother's mind on whatever he was thinking or feeling. This was obviously failing her, as Dashpaw's mindset went from calm and steady to rampant and scared twenty four hours a day.

His pelt flashed at the corner of her vision, and Whistlepaw turned her head as she set her thrush on the pile. At the edge of camp, away from the rest of the Clan, Dashpaw sat with his tail curled over his paws. His eyes were tired, glazed over with fear and exhaustion; his pelt was clumped and dusty, like he hadn't been keeping up on cleaning it. His bones stuck out like claws against his frame, and his paws were restless against the ground, as if he were itching to run somewhere yet not knowing how.

She felt Spikepaw's breath against her ear, and his voice was warm with concern as he said, "He doesn't look good."

_No, really? _"I know," Whistlepaw mewed quietly, staring sadly at her brother. She watched as a leaf fell from the tree above him and landed at his side; Dashpaw leapt away from his previous spot, hissing at the leaf with his ears pinned to his head. She looked up to the ginger and black tom, her gaze sad yet hoping he would do as she asked. "Will you come with me?"

Spikepaw nodded, his jaw shifting; she could see it. "Always," he murmured, his tail twining with hers. Whistlepaw let out a purr and nuzzled the tom before sighing, placing one paw in front of the other and making her way towards her brother. Spikepaw remained at her side, their tails still entwined with one another for unspoken support.

"Dashie," Whistlepaw mewed quietly to Dashpaw as she approached him.

The tom recoiled from her voice, hissing and trying to swipe at her. His claws bit into her muzzle like fangs, but she ignored the pain it brought to her and instead forcused on her brother.

She heard Spikepaw growl low in his throat from beside her, and with once look from Whistlepaw the ginger and black tom was silent, his eyes burning and his jaw clenched.

"Dashie, it's me. It's Whistlepaw, your sister."

"I don't have a sister." Confusion, exhaustion, and overall torture sparked in his eyes.

"Yes you do, Dashpaw. I'm your sister," Whistlepaw's voice cracked and she steadied herself for the denial Dashpaw was about to give her.

"I don't have a sister." he said again. The same emotions became stronger, more intense as he tried to recall her memory. "I don't have a sister... I'm the only one in my family to survive..."

"What happened to the others?" Spikepaw asked, twitching his ears. Whistlepaw sent him a cool look, and the tom returned the look with a calm gaze. _Let me do this, for him and for you. _his eyes said, and she obliged, allowing him to speak for her.

Dashpaw's eyes darkened, and he shuddered. "They died," he mewed, beginning to sink lower to the ground. "They're all dead."

"How did they die, Dashpaw?"

"I..." he trailed off, swallowing. His eyes now brimmed with sorrow, remorse, yet still confusion. "I -"

He neck suddenly turned to the side, and for a moment Whistlepaw saw the outline of another cat, holding his neck in the position it was in. She blinked once, twice, three times, trying to make sure she wasn't going crazy. The image faded, and a haunting voice came out of Dashpaw's mouth:

"_I killed them._"

He twitched again, and the tiredness was back in his eyes.

Spikepaw's pelt was bristling, and fear began to flood around them. "You killed them?"

Dashpaw blinked, tipping his head. "What...?" His head went straight again as he remembered, "Oh... yeah."

"Where are they? Are they in StarClan?"

Dashpaw's vision blurred, and he began to sway on his paws. "They're on... They're on the Hanging Tree."

Whistlepaw backed away from her brother, horror seizing her heart. Her breathing hitched, coming in petrified gasps as she fought not to scream; she would not alert the Clan. If she did, Dashpaw would be deemed insane and surely be exiled, or even forced deathberries. She didn't want that for him; anything but that.

"You're not on it."

Dashpaw's cold voice forced Whistlepaw out of her thoughts. She stepped back, Spikepaw stepping forward to protect her as she mewed, "Who?"

"You," Dashpaw's eyes were wild with bloodlust, and his claws retracted from between his pads. "You're not on it... You're not on the tree."

"Dashpaw," Spikepaw's voice was hard with warning, "Stop."

Dashpaw began to stalk forward, growling and narrowing his eyes on Whistlepaw. "You're not on the tree. You have to be - I'll make you."

Her brother suddenly leapt at her, Spikepaw trying to intercept. Dashpaw swiped at the tom hard, and Spikepaw fell back, hissing and cursing StarClan. Whistlepaw let out a scream as Dashpaw landed on top of her, clawing and nipping at her; she tried to fight back, raking her claws against his belly, but the tom was too strong and too deep in confusion to notice pain.

His claws were suddenly piercing her throat, and she heard yowls of her Clanmates as they tried to pull her brother off of her; but it was no use, as Dashpaw fought them off wildly. She struggled against him as he began to press down hard, and she felt oxygen dissipate from her lungs. Whistlepaw gasped and pawed at Dashpaw's paws, but the tom's bloodlust eyes just darkened even more.

She felt her world slip from existence, and her last image of her brother was him being hit over the head with a hard jerk of a cat's paw.

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><p>When she awoke, darkness consumed her on all sides. There was a warmth against her side and something against her neck, and as Whistlepaw began to claw and jerk, trying to get whatever the thing was off, the warmth shifted and eyes peered down at her worriedly.<p>

"No, Whistlepaw," spoke the eyes, and she recognized the voice of Spikepaw as he clamped down her paws with his own. "Stop... Your neck is swollen; don't scratch at the cobwebs and twigs."

"Da..." she couldn't even speak; she felt useless again.

"Your brother's fine," Spikepaw mewed, his eyes flickered to the other side of the den where she assumed the brown and gray patched tom slept. "I'm sorry about that, Whistlepaw. I just had to get him off. You going to not scratch your neck so I can let you go?"

She nodded, her heart tearing in two.

He released her paws, and she let out a sigh, sinking deeper into the nest as he lay down beside her again.

"So you're awake." Talonpaw's eyes flashed through the darkness as well, and his voice was right in front of her.

Spikepaw nodded, and Whistlepaw felt his eyes burning her fur.

"Tangleburr and I have no idea what happened in Dashpaw to make him that way," Talonpaw meowed calmly, his eyes focusing on Whistlepaw's, "But we think it has something to do with his mental state. What about it, specifically, we aren't sure of - but we will do our best to figure it out."

"He is obviously being tortured within his mind," came Tangleburr's mew from the other side of the den - the golden brown tabby's pelt shimmered dully in the darkness. "We aren't sure what is causing the torture, though."

"Why did he keep saying the Hanging Tree?" Spikepaw asked, and Whistlepaw tensed against him. His tail rested on her flank, and his eyes were genuinely concerned for the cat he used to despise. "He kept saying that to Whistlepaw before he attacked her."

Tangleburr's eyes narrowed, as if he was aware of this. "I heard him, Spikepaw. From my understanding, it seems that Dashpaw is living someplace other than the waking world when he sleeps - he's been waking up during the night screaming in horror. It seems as though Dashpaw is a completely different cat from the time he sleeps until he wakes up."

Talonpaw looked to Whistlepaw, his eyes glazed over.

"We'll figure this out, Whistlepaw - I promise."

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><p><strong>Long <strong>**chapter! Wooooo!**

**Thanks for reading, guys :D**

**60 REVIEWS! AGH!**

**Buh-byeeee :3**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	10. C H A P T E R N I N E : D A S H P A W

**Welcome!**

**I'm sure you're all stoked for this new chapter - I know I am! :D**

**It's inside-Dashpaw's-head time :3**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Nine<p>

_; Dashpaw ;_

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><p><em>He was surrounded by dead. <em>

They sauntered, trotted, and weaved around him, testing his movements and eyeing him. Their eyes, cold and lifeless, stared at him, driving deep into his soul. Whether he was alive or dead, he couldn't tell; all he knew was that he was here, now, and that he couldn't escape until the grip of life caught him in a chokehold and dragged him upward, back into the living and not the dead.

"Tonight, we rejoice!" Stoatpaw called from the Stonepile. He stood beside her, his head high and his tail quivering while his eyes basked in glory of it all. He was caught up in the heat of the moment, not sensing any danger from these cats; they were all he had...they were his family now. It didn't matter that his mother and father were up in the living; his sister -

He stopped himself, willing his mind to ease off the subject of Whistlepaw.

"You're thinking of her." Stoatpaw said meekly, and the tom raised his eyes to meet hers. Black on amber, they stared at the other, neither one bothering to look away.

"Who?"

"Your sister." Stoatpaw blinked her black eyes, and the tom felt the world swaying on his paws. "You're thinking about Whistlepaw, Dashpaw."

He noticed all the former cats walking around him were gone; that left him alone with Stoatpaw. Him, the victim, alone with her, the committer.

"Why am I always here?" he asked, his eyes looking to his paws as one of his toes twitched absentmindedly, "Why do I come here every single night?"

Her soft, plumy tail cupped under his chin, dragging his eyes up to hers again. The milky light of the moon shone deep within them, making them glimmer in the cold blackness around the two. Dashpaw felt his legs weaken and threaten to buckle under her stare; warm yet cold, concerned yet not caring... loving yet hating.

"You think of me," Stoatpaw mewed. She said it like it was the simplest thing in the world to comprehend, "You think of me, Dashpaw... every single night, every dreaming hour and every waking moment. I'm your muse, your sun and stars... I'm your _love_, Dashpaw."

"I don't love you, Stoatpaw."

Stoatpaw's eyes flashed with hurt, and Dashpaw instantly regretted saying that. He wanted to take the hurt away from her, to wrap his tail around hers and murmur that he was sorry and that he had made a horrible mistake by saying he didn't love her.

"What did you say?" her voice was soft, delicate; just like the rest of her.

"I don't love you," Dashpaw hissed, but his heart clenched in denial as he said it.

She backed away, her black eyes melting and turning to their beautiful amber. In the darkness of this place, her eyes were the brightest thing Dashpaw had ever seen. But the hurt, remorse, and overall pain in them made Dashpaw's ears flatten to his head.

"Stoatpaw - "

"Don't," the pale gray she-cat ordered, and Dashpaw shut his mouth. "Just...don't, Dashpaw."

She melted from his vision, a whirlwind of emotions hitting him as her eyes - her beautiful eyes - faded from his eyesight.

He started running. It was the only thing he could do at the moment - he had to find her; he had to make things right again, before he was killed at the mercy of her claws.

"Stoatpaw!" He cried to the night, hoping her voice would float through the treetops and into his ears. Only silence responded to him, and he pushed farther, harder, and deeper. "Stoatpaw, where are you?"

_You don't love me. _

Her voice cut into his conscious, and he dug his claws into the ground, pushing himself faster until he could no longer feel the ground beneath his paws. "Stoatpaw!" he called, not slowing his pace. "Show yourself to me! I can explain!"

_You don't love me. Why would I show myself to you? It's a waste of time and space that could - can - be used for a much better cause. _

He slowed to a stop, his lungs burning as he fought for breath. "Stoatpaw..." he murmured breathlessly, "Please... Show yourself; I'll explain everything."

She appeared in front of him. Her amber eyes held remorse, sorrow and denial. "You don't love me," she murmured through fighting back tears, "Why are you - why am I - doing this?"

"Stoatpaw," Dashpaw's ears went flat to his head, "Listen to me... I can explain everything."

"Why should I? Why should I listen to the cat who doesn't love me?" Stoatpaw scoffed. "I thought you were different, Dashpaw. I thought you and I had something, but I suppose it was nothing but a mere fantasy, fixated on lies and my own cruel ambitions." She clenched her jaw, her eyes tearing one more. "Just like Runningpaw..."

"What about him?" Dashpaw asked, then stepped back, not meaning to ask that.

Her eyes were back on his - black, not amber. "I loved him, Dashpaw. I loved my best friend, but he loved another. I thought I could become his mate shortly after we were warriors - we did everything together... Up until he met Treepaw.

"They were inseperable. They spent every moment together of which they wouldn't get caught." she let out a dull purr at the memory. "I suppose I was happy for him, yet also a little saddened. Why couldn't I be happy?"

Her purr turned into a growl, and her claws swiped at the ground, creating marks in the dirt.

"Treepaw didn't deserve Runningpaw. She was a callous cat, born on the belief that she would get everything handed to her - Runningpaw was strong, brought up by parents I wished were my own. She hated me, and I hated her; we were constantly bickering for the one thing I knew she had: Runningpaw's love.

"In the dead of the night, my mentor and I spotted them while hunting. I was enraged, the anger piling and piling up in my insides; how dare he meet this cat on the day of his warrior ceremony? My anger finally got so horrendous, I felt the urge of blood on my teeth, down my throat and immersed in my fur. I wanted Treepaw dead - but by killing her, it meant killing Runningpaw and my mentor as well to ensure that no cat would spill what I had done."

Her growls stopped, replaced by a small whimper.

"I have lived in the Dark Forest for many seasons, and not once have I found a cat I could call my mate. But then, I found you - a little scrap of fur just wishing to be loved while your sister got all the attention because she was horrified so bad that she forgot how to speak... You were alone, Dashpaw, and so was I; I figured this could - this would - work... You were the prize I wished I had with Runningpaw, and once you came visiting night after night in your sleep, I thought you felt the same way." Her eyes melted back to their amber, looking at him sadly. "But I suppose I was tricked by own feelings once again.

"I'm a fool... A fool for loving a cat so devoted to his Clan, so loving to his sister despite all the pain you endured those first six moons of your life... That maybe, in the afterlife, I could relive my life and make things right again. But I know, now, that it cannot be - because I'll never find love until I'm faded from this hell."

Dashpaw had no words. He could only gape, his mouth open in silent shock. "Stoatpaw..."

"Runningpaw and Treepaw didn't know any better... They were just fighting for what they believed... They loved each other, and I destroyed their future as mates, perhaps as parents... All because of what I felt was right." she shook her head, as if not beliving herself. "I'm sorry, Dashpaw - I'm sorry for falling in love with you."

He just stared at her as it all sank in. The hurt, the betrayal he felt from his parents... The loneliness he felt as Whistlepaw received all the attention... She knew all of that as if she had been there herself, beside him through it all, giving him strength when he was sure he would fall to nothing...

She was there; she always had been.

"Stoatpaw."

Her eyes met his; dulled by sadness and memories, they burned into his soul.

"I'm sorry for falling in love with you."

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><p><strong>Well... That happened. :3<strong>

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	11. C H A P T E R T E N : W H I S T L E

**I feel stupid, guys.**

**I made the worst mistake by making StoatxDash... I'm sure you all hate it just as much as I do. **

**Haha, I'm kidding! I love that pairing; I hadn't even known would spark!**

**I also forgot to add Chapter Ten. I was writing half of Chapter Eleven and was like, "I don't even have a chapter ten. Why am I writing this?"**

**So, here is this filler chapter, followed by Chaoter Eleven. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p>Chapter Ten<p>

_. Whistlepaw ._

* * *

><p><em>Nothing made sense.<em>

She had never seen a snowstorm. Dreamt about them, yes; but seeing one live was cold and bitter, relentless and yet charming the young she-cat with the ways of the ice crystals as they fell from the cloudy, darkened sky. It left her downtrodden, fighting for her life as well as her brothers. It was hard finding prey in such horrible conditions, but the Clan was surviving; they always found a way too, it seemed.

She wished that life could be simpler, less complex and demanding.

"I name you Spikefang, for your determination and excellent battle skills. We welcome you as a full warrior of CavernClan."

Paws thudded the ground as a rumbling of cheers erupted from all that cats, and warming, welcoming purrs surrounded her on all sides.

"Spikefang! Spikefang! Spikefang!"

She knew she should cheer for him; it was as custom in the Clan that, no matter how horrible or giddy you were feeling, you had to cheer for the newly named warrior, apprentice, or deputy. But she remained silent, her vocal cords tied, unable to produce the words she knew would mean the world to him.

His name; his new, prouder name. He was no longer an apprentice, weak and underestimated; he was a warrior, strong and confident in everything he did.

She only wished she would be up there with him, recieving her name. Receiving her honor as a warrior, not a feeble apprentice; she was old enough to be a warrior, but was still treated like an apprentice. But she supposed she deserved it; she hadn't even had her final assessment yet.

"Whistlepaw."

Her mentors voice shook the dark gray she-cat from her thoughts.

She turned her head and faced the gray-and-white warrior, who was looking down upon her with a solemn expression. "It's time for your assessment," Beetletooth meowed, and immediately started bounding up the rocks away from the hollow. She looked once, twice, three times at her surroundings, knowing that she would come back to this once she was finished, yet feeling as if it were her last time here. With a sigh she followed her mentor, feeling Spikepaw's - Spike_fang _- eyes on her the entire way out.

* * *

><p>"I passed my assessment!"<p>

Spikefang's eyes shone with congratulations. "That's wonderful," he purred, rubbing muzzles with Whistlepaw. "When's Hollowstar going to make you a warrior?"

Whistlepaw bounced from paw to paw, unable to contain her excitement and joy. "Beetletooth said sometime tonight!" she sang, glee washing over her entire body like a rush of adrenaline. "I'll become a warrior alongside you!"

Her gaze suddenly shifted to where Dashpaw slept on the ground beside them, and her heart sank to her paws. "But he won't..." she murmured, gazing at her brother through saddened and defeated eyes.

"He's still sick," Spikefang mewed, trying to look on the bright side of things. "Once he gets better, there's no doubt he'll be made a warrior."

"If he gets better."

"Don't talk like that, Whistlepaw," Spikefang urged, his eyes flashing with concern as he cupped her chin under his tail and forced their eyes to meet, "Dashpaw will get better - under the care of Tangleburr and Talonpaw, there's no possible way he can get worse than what he already is."

"He's been like this for almost a whole season - when in StarClan will he wake up?"

"When the time comes," Spikefang meowed, pressing against her for comfort. "Or at least until his mind stops torturing him from the inside -"

"Let all cats that know how to climb gather beneath Highstone for a Clan meeting!"

Spikefang nuzzled her, purring lightly as his nose touched her ear. "You'd better go," he whispered, nudging her away from him and Dashpaw, "The entire Clan is waiting for you to shine."

"I love you," Whistlepaw mewed, burying her muzzle in his side.

"I love you too," he replied, before nudging her off again. This time, she didn't bother to look back as she entered the darkened clearing; up on the Highstone, Hollowstar stood with his shoulders squared and his amber eyes warm with pride. Though he wasn't related to her in any sort of way, Whistlepaw felt a small supporting gesture in his eyes, as if he were acting as the proud parent that she never had.

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as she climbed up, timidly, to the place where warriors were granted their names; she settled herself between Hollowstar and Ivyfang, and Beetletooth was even there, standing beside the deputy. Down below, the Clan watched her with admiring eyes; small murmurs and purrs of pride rang around the cavern, and Whistlepaw felt her fur getting warm.

"Tonight, I welcome each and every one of you in the ceremony I have been waiting for," Hollowstar paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "the naming of one of our apprentices, Whistlepaw!"

Silence greeted her name, but she knew it was an act of fighting back cheers until the end.

Hollowstar and Ivyfang's voices spoke from behind her, and she turned at their command. "Whistlepaw," Ivyfang purred, her yellow eyes glimmering, "do you promise to uphold and abide by the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"It is," she replied, unsure of how she was going to get through this.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, we grant you with your warrior name," Hollowstar meowed, placing his muzzle atop her head; Ivyfang's soon followed. "Whistlepaw of CavernClan, from this moment we grant you the name Whistlebird, for your compassion and dedication to this Clan. We welcome you, finally, as a warrior of CavernClan."

The leader and deputy of her Clan licked her forehead, and the newly named warrior licked their shoulders in return. They all stepped back from one another, all three of their eyes shining with pride. She turned towards the Clan as her name was called to the heavens above, a breeze brushing against her dark gray pelt.

_Whistlebird... I am Whistlebird. _

In the distance, she heard the call of a bluejay, its whimsical song seeping into her soul.

* * *

><p><strong>END OF PART I<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Yayy! Whistlepaw - ahem, Whistlebird - got her warrior name! :D<strong>

**I thought it was a good way to end the first part to this story :3 You can sue me if you thought differently XD. **

**Until next chapter, **

**Author xx**


	12. CHAPTER ELEVEN SPIKEPAW

**Woo! Never thought this story would be so awesome and dark - and have so many fans! Gosh you guys, I can't believe you love this story as much as you do:) Thank you so, so much.**

**Here we are with a bonus chapter, from a different Point Of View!**

**This story is broken into two oarts as of right now - I might change it to three, depending on how many ideas I have left after part two XD. **

**Enjoy!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><strong>The Hanging Tree - Part II<strong>

Chapter Eleven

_/ Spikepaw /_

* * *

><p><em>He had never seen her so <em>heartbroken.

In all his moons of loving her, Spikefang couldn't recall a time when she was this down; when she was this beaten, on both the inside and out. Scars covered her pelt, and her eyes were always tired and dull; never happy like they used to be.

She watched her brother every single day, not leaving his side. He stayed with her because he loved her so much, but also to be alert for her safety. If Dashpaw ever tried to claw her again, he would make sure the brown and gray patched apprentice knew who he was messing with in order to get to her.

Here, in the darkness of the hollow, they sat in the medicine den, watching the stars without a care in the world. His eyes were on her, watching her features deepen and become more sullen; her eyes were on her brother, oblivious to noticing him.

He spoke timidly, afraid to startle her. "You're so beautiful, Whistlebird."

Her ear twitched in response, showing she heard. Her mouth remained closed, her eyes trained on the slow rising fur of her brother.

"Look at me, Whistlebird."

Another ear twitch. No response through words.

He lessened the demand in his tone, praying to his ancestors above that she would look at him. "Whistlebird, please... Look at me."

Her head turned toward him, her coral blue eyes staring him with nothing but raw exhaustion. She was straining herself way too hard; both of them knew it. But because of her pride, her loyalty to her brother, she kept herself awake all throughout the night, ready to leap at the first sign of danger.

"What?"

Her voice was weak, too fragile to push on in the form of a sentence.

"You need rest."

She shook her head, her eyes flashing with the argument that she knew she couldn't win. "No."

"Look at yourself, Whistlebird," he flew into a list of attributes as she opened her mouth to reply, "You're barely eating, you're barely sleeping, and you never leave his side. Don't you think you're going to die before he does? Does that thought ever occur to you? If you keep - "

"Stop."

"Love, you're slowly but surely dying. Every cat can see it, and - "

"I said _stop, _Spikefang."

His jaw shut closed, and he gritted his teeth, fighting back words of pure concern.

Her soft voice drifted into his ears, and he felt calmer than before. "I can't help but worry for him, Spikefang. He's my brother; I have to protect him from everything. My parents aren't here, are they? They can't help him, so that leaves me to do the job that both of us want: we just want our parents here. But they're so busy caught up in their own selfless acts that they don't have time for us; we aren't needed in their lives anymore and we never have been since they lost their second litter. Don't you get it? I'm here for Dashpaw, just as he's always been there for me. Sure, I'm not sleeping or eating, but it's for the good of Dashpaw."

"But it's not for good of Dashpaw! It's you dying."

"If my brother can live, then I'm happy with dying."

Spikefang shut his eyes, remembering the words his mother once said to him about life and death; it was inevitable, concealed in the darkest and deepest parts of a soul. Once a soul reaches the point of no life, death comes and settles in; then, the soul is taken away and never returned to the body, now consumed by death and the blackness it held. _  
><em>

He brushed his tail-tip against her cheek. The fur was soft, but bone was clearly outlined underneath. Tears stung Spikefang's eyes as he stared at the cat he loved, the cat that he was sure soon to bury six feet under if she didn't heal herself. "I don't want you to die, Whistlebird. I've lost everything in my life - my parents, my sisters, and even the loyalty of my own Clan... Now I'm about to lose the cat I love, and..." He sucked in a breath, needing air to get him through this, "I don't think I can handle that without losing my entire existence."

"Lie to me again," she whispered, pressing her muzzle into his cheek. Her breath felt warm on his fur, comforting him in ways he never thought possible.

"I love you. That isn't a lie."

"Show me."

He pulled away, looking her in the eyes. "Show you...?"

"Show me you love me."

"Isn't saying it enough?"

She shook her head, defeat in her eyes. "You don't just love someone just to say the words. You have to show them you love them; otherwise, what's the point?" Lust suddenly filled her coral irises, and fear began to crawl up Spikefang's spine. "Show me, Spikefang... Show me you love me. I want you as part of me - I want something other she-cats can't have. I want something to show you are mine."

"And what would that be?"

She smiled cruely, as if she were possessed. "Mate with me, Spikefang."

"You know that's not what you or I want."

"I do want it." Her voice grew sharp and demanding. "And you do too. You just won't admit it."

"I don't want to, Whistlebird."

"But you do; you're just too cowardly to admit it."

"We're newly named warriors. It's wrong."

"Who said?"

"I'm saying it, Whistlebird."

"So you do?"

"I don't, Whistlebird!"

"Yes you do." she began to rise to her paws, shoving him roughly on the ground with a swipe of her front paw. Spikefang's heart seized with fear as she pinned him, her eyes darkened by lust. Did she even know what she was doing?

Dashpaw let out a whine of apparent pain, and the den fell silent again as Whistlebird's eyes fell onto her unconscious brother once more.

"I'm sorry, Spikefang... I hadn't meant to be that forceful on the subject." She sucked in a breath, stepping off of him and escaping to the corner of the den.

He clenched his jaw, speaking through gritted teeth, "I know. It's okay."

"It's not okay," she mewed, turning to face him. "I was pushing you to limits I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

He blinked at her, his anger melting. He knew her so well that when she said she was sorry, she really meant it. "It's okay, really."

She padded to Dashpaw's side, putting her paw against his cheek. The young tom flinched at her touch for a mere second, then relaxed, as if her touch waded away his demons within his head.

_That's my bird... Flying through the sky, halting demons and changing them into angels... _

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><p><strong>Not a whole lot of action, just fluff and worrying :3<strong>

**Sorry XD. I just updated like fie minutes ago but, like I said, I already had half of this chapter pre-written and then decided to remember chapter ten XD. **

**Until next chapter,**

**Author xx**


	13. CHAPTER TWELVE STOATPAW

**Sorry this is kind of late! I got caught up in school and studying for finals before Christmas break. **

**But here is the chapter, and I hope you like it:)**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

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><p>Chapter Twelve<p>

_- Stoatpaw - _

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><p><em>"Let me out of here."<em>

"Maybe I will," she growled, turning and facing the brown and gray tom with a snarl on her face. "Or maybe I won't... It depends on if you can kill this fool in under twenty seconds. Only then will I let you out." She flicked her tail in the direction of the trees, her eyes not leaving his as she howled to the darkened sky, "Bring forth the prisoner!"

Murk and fog swirled around her paws, and Stoatpaw let out a purr; her powers were coming back to life, now that she had a life source to feed off of. Dashpaw was a fool, a mouse-brain for believing her sad tale of love; she knew he was getting weaker by the day, and soon she would have enough life in order to resurrect herself in the form of his body.

Paws pounded on the ground as her two reinforcements, her highest ranking cats, entered the arena. Though she couldn't see them, Stoatpaw knew they had a fairly small cat between them, a perfect match for Dashpaw's weakened state. "Thank you, Birch and Thorn," she purred, and the swish of the air told her that they had dipped their heads in respect. "You may go now."

They departed quickly, leaving their mistress alone with her two captives.

Stoatpaw flicked her tail, and the bound that Dashpaw was concealed in let loose on his paws, sending the tom plummeting to the ground. A sharp crack, following by his cry of pain allowed Stoatpaw to know that he ultimately broken some sort of bone while falling. She forced herself not to laugh at the comedy of it all; this would be fun, watching the two toms dance around in a game of death, having the better reign over the dead body of the weakest.

"Get to your paws," Stoatpaw ordered, and when Dashpaw didn't comply she swiped him over the ear with her paw, the dull sound of ringing coming from his head. "Now!"

Weakly and stumbling as he did, Dashpaw rose to his paws; she noticed his left forepaw was broken, making him weaker to fight with both paws. All he had were his right forepaw and two back paws, and that left him at a disadvantage between him and the other tom.

"Steady yourselves," she meowed coolly, eyes trained on Dashpaw. "Ready... Set... Fight!"

At once, the opposing tom flung himself at Dashpaw, bowling the brown and gray patched apprentice over easily. Dashpaw tried to retaliate by blocking his face with his broken paw, but the other tom sideswiped him with his left forepaw, scoring Dashpaw in the cheek. Dashpaw groaned and threw the opposing off with a hard thrust of his hind paws, sending the cat flying through the air. Dashpaw hobbled quickly to where the tom had landed and lay winded, then smashed the cats face into the dirt with a hard force of his right paw before he could get to his feet.

The other tom twisted himself so that he was in his back, clawing and biting at Dashpaw's paw and face. Dashpaw was suddenly on the ground with the other cat high above him, his fangs dripping with saliva and blood; Stoatpaw let out a joyful purr, knowing that this was Dashpaw's end.

"Stop!" she called, and the tom hopped off of Dashpaw, hissing in his face before turning and fleeing into the trees. She watched as Dashpaw, weak as he was, confidently rise to his paws, his face and body covered in blood; one eye was swollen shut, the other not far behind. His body looked as if it had been mauled and with each step he took, he limped like he had no strength.

"Did... Did I win?"

At this, Stoatpaw couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Win? Ha! You're just barely alive, Dashpaw; if I hadn't stopped Spear when I did, you would be laying there dead."

She watched, amused just the slightest, as Dashpaw's legs gave away under his weight and he crumpled to the ground, curling in on himself as if he was preparing himself for her blows of punishment.

But she couldn't hurt him without killing him; he was too valuable to her at the moment.

"I'll send you back."

His one good eye peered up at her. "Really?"

She nodded, wanting to seem sincere if this were to work. "I think we're finished here. You deserve to be let out of here for a whole season, as that's the amount of time you've been spending in a coma up in the living world."

"You won't win, Stoatpaw."

Hissing, the pale gray Dark Forest cat turned at the sound of a feminine voice. There, at the far end of the trees just behind Dashpaw, a dark shape appeared. It was a cat, the same as her, but with dark gray fur and a white flash on her chest. At her sides were wings, folded neatly against her flanks, and her eyes were bright with the wisdom that she didn't possess alone. Her fur sparked and shimmered with the brightness of StarClan, and Stoatpaw drew away from Dashpaw, blinking rapidly against the harsh light.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

The she-cat walked out into the arena, sidestepping the blood made by Dashpaw and his opponent. She stopped at Dashpaw's side and rested her tail on his muzzle. The young tom raised his head, staring at the she-cat as if she were from the living world and he recognized her.

"I am not known by name in this place, nor do I wish to start too. But all I can say to you is this: you won't win. We're coming for you, and we won't stop until my brother is resued from your claws."

She unruffled her wings and flew upward, a bright light encircling her like an aura. "You have one moon to return Dashpaw to the living world. If you do not, StarClan shall send me and my reinforcements to retrieve him ourselves. You will not win, Stoatpaw of the Dark Forest; you will die down here, alone, just as you were meant too."

Sh suddenly turned, and with a blast of lightening escaping her paws, a bright light surrounded the Hanging Tree. Stoatpaw felt her body weaken, and her paws give away; she crumbled to the ground, a heap of groaning and hissing mess. As black began to surround her vision, she forced herself to go limp, acting dead; she allowed her soul to be free, watching as it trickled into Dashpaw's shock-opened muzzle, unfelt and unnoticed.

She let out a purr and allowed herself to die, a smile growing on her lips as her world gave away to nothing but white.

_My legacy lives on in you, Dashpaw... _

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><p><strong>Erm... Yeah.<strong>_  
><em>

**I hated this chapter... **

**Review?**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


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